Stand out phono stages

I notice that Zanden, ASR and Boulder were mentioned twice. Is that a clue that they're better? ;-)

As a matter of fact, the expensive Boulder is a very good phono. The asr is also OK -- but without the same level of performance (or I just don't like integrated circuits).

Amazingly, a modded EAR is also good and much cheaper.

Here is a list of phono stages mentioned above:
Aesthetix IO
Air Tight ATE-2
Nick Doshi's Alaap
Art Audio
ASR Basis Exclusive
Atma-Sphere MP-1
Audio Research PH7
BAT VK-P10SE
Boulder 2008
CAT SL-1
Clear Audio Balance Reference
Conrad Johnson TEA-1
Einstein- The Turntable's Choice
Raul's Essential 3150 Phono line Preamp
Klyne
kondo audio note m7 or m-1000 mkII
Lamm lp2
Lyra Connosuer
Manley Steelhead
Nagra PL-P
Sentec EQ-10
Shindo
Thor Cantatus or 3000
Tron
Vendetta Research
Viva
Walker Audio Reference
Wavac
Wavestream Kinetics
Zanden 1200

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Any others?

?? Fm Acoustics, Dartzeel, Supratek, Syrah, ZYX, Rowland,

For those on a budget the stand out phono stages for their price point could include these:
Acoustech
Art audio
Artemis Labs
Audio research ph3 or 5
Cary ph302
Conrad Johnson Premier-15
Ear 834p Modified
Eastern Electric mini max
Tom Evans Groove
Graham slee era gold V
Hagerman Trumpet
H-Cat
Heed
Herron VTPH-1
Herron VTPH-1
Jlti
K&K Kit
Nova Phenomena
Pass Labs Xono Pass Aleph
PS Audio GCPH
Simaudio LP 5.3
Sutherland
WhestPS.20
George Wright
VAC Ren Mk2
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For those analog philes in it for a while it is well known that synergy plays a big role, e.g. cartridge to stage tonearm to cartridge, hence all the different responses. This list was compiled mainly to include the names of excellent players that may have otherwise been missed due to the rarity of the product or little advertisement since it is a niche market.
Feel free to contribute.

The Aqvox Phono2 should be added to budget list.
The ModWright SWP should also qualify, although I'm not sure how you determine if its in the first and 2nd list.

Pedrillo, I assume you intended to refer to the Pass XOno, not the old Aleph Ono? In which case I'm a bit puzzled to find it in the budget list. I don't know what the XOno retails for in the US, in Germany you'd need to fork out EUR 5.5 or thereabouts. Whatever, if it's too expensive for the second then it certainly deserves to be in the first list.

Here are my other contenders (I'll quote the retail where known, you decide where to put it)

State-of-the-Art (imho):
MalValve Preamp Three Phono (EUR 6k); there is also a MalValve Preamp Four Phono that I haven't had the pleasure of hearing and don't know the price tag, but since it's more than likely to be even better than the Three...
http://www.malvalve.de/preamp1.html

Big Overachievers:
Quad Twenty Four P (EUR 1.5k): I had this in my rig for a while. With the little bit of experience in tube-rolling I gained meantime, I'm sure it could score even higher.
Tom Evans Microgroove Plus (EUR 1.5k): I chose the Quad at the time because of its far greater flexibility and the little bit of additional mellowness seemed to fit my cart better, but wow, this little guy knows how to sing and swing.
Clearaudio Basic Plus (EUR 0.5k): impeccable in its own right, together with the Accu Plus (battery unit for another EUR 0.5k) astonishingly good.

Also, as I see you mention Whest PS.20R, its successor the Whest PS.30R (EUR 2.2k) is supposed to be a spectacular improvement (hearsay, though, haven't heard it myself)

The Modwright SWP really should be on both lists.